Apparatus for trimming body panels



June 16, 1931.

o. J. GROEHN APPARATUS FOR TRIMMING BODYPANELS Filed Nov. 16, 1928 6Sheets-Sheet l June 16, 1931, o. J. GROEHN APPARATUS FOR TRIMMING BODYPANELS Filed Nov. 16. 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 16, 1931.

Q. J. GROEHN I 1,809,843

APPARATUS FOR TRI MMING BODY PANELS Filed Nov. 16, 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet 41 WQMWWM June 16, 1931. o. .1. GROEHN I 1,809,843

APPARATUS FOR TRIMMING BODY PANELS Filed Nov. 16, 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet 5June 16, 1931. o. J. GROEHN 1,809,843

APPARATUS FOR TRIMMING BODY PANELS Filed Nov. 16, 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet 6Patented June-16; 103 1 UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE OTTO J. GROEHN, FGROSSE POINTE PARK, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO HUDSON MOTOR -CAIR. COMPANY,OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN APPARATUS FOR TRIMMIlING BODY PANELS Application filed November 16, 1928. I Serial No.319,987.

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for trimming panelsforautomobile bodies and particularly back panels.

In certain other applications of mine, I have disclosed a method andapparatus whereby in the process of manufacturing automobile bodies itis possible to stamp out or draw from sheet metal, such as sheet steel,3. single panel which when finished forms a convex back portion for thebodyas well as forwardly extending top'and quarter side portions oinedby upper spherical or ball corners. That is, a back panel unit is formedin a single drawing operation, the back portion of which being somewhatconvex in shape and curving inwardly at its top to form a part of thetop of the body and curving forwardly at its side edges to form the rearquarter portions of the body which extend over the rear wheel housings.Such a panel may form the'entire back of the body as disclosed in myapplication Serial No. 276,635 filed May 10, 1928, or may form asubstantial part of the back as disclosed in my application Serial No.332,665 filed January 15, 1929. 1

After the back panel of the body has been drawn to the form and shapeabove'described, the panel is trimmed in order to remove surplus metalpreparatory tothe fianging operation, the latter being shown anddescribed in another application of mine. The present a plicationrelates to a method and apparatus w ereby the entire panel may becompletely trimmed at all four sides thereof to the pro er shape andconfiguration in a single mac inc and in a single operation, as a'resultof which invention ver substantial advantages and benefits are 0 tained,particularly whisre production is conducted on a large sca e.

It is an object of the present inventionto provide a simplified andeconomical method of trimming such anels and particularly a back anelwhich orms a part of both sides and tl ie top of the bod whereb thesurplus metal may be remove from all edges substantially simultaneouslyand trimmed along a substantially continuous line.

It is another object of the invention to provide a machine for thispurpose.

The invention will be more clearly understood from the followingdescription in conunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view from the front of a machine embodying theinvention;

Fig. 2 is a plan View of the same with the upper die removed;

Figs. 3 and 4 are sectional elevational views taken upon the lines 33and 44 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view in perspective .of one of the rear cornersof the machine;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view in perspective of one of the front cornersof the machine;

Figs. 7 8 and 9 are front, rear and side elevation'al views respectivelyof the lower die;

Fig. 10 is a detail view in section taken upon the line 1010 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 11 is a detail view in section taken upon the line 1111 of Fig. 9;i

Fig. 12 is a perspective view of a body pane trimmed in accordance withthe invention; and

Fig. 13 is a perspective view of the rear portion of an automobileembodying the body panel trimmed in accordance with the invention.

The invention is illustrated by its a plication for trimming a panelshaped to orm the entire rear portion of the bod having a back 5, a top6 and quarter sides 7 Fig. 12) A suitable machine for performing thetrimming operation may comprise a base 8 having a bed portion 9projecting upwardly therefrom and shaped to receive a previously drawnback panel 10 for an automobile body having back, top and quarterportions. The base 8 is provided with projections 11 extending outwardlyfrom the lower portion of its'sides and is provided with a projection 12extending outwardly from its lower front portion. Suitable slides 14 and15 are mounted upon the projections 11 and 12 respectively so that theymay move toward and away from the die ortion 90f the base. Theseslides'are ui ed in their movement toward and from t e base by suitableguideways 16 secured upon the projections 11 and 1 2 in any suitablemanner, as by bolts 17. Steps 18 are secured upon the edge of theprojections 100 11 and 12, as by bolts 19, to limit the outward movementof the slides. An upper die member 20 is mounted for movement toward andaway from the base 8 in an suitable manner (not shown) and is provi edwith guideways 21 adapted to receive guides 22 mounted upon theprojections of the base. The downward movement of the upper die 20 islimited by stop 23 upon the base.

Suitable cams 24 and 25 depend from the upper die 20 and are securedthereto in any suitable manner as by bolts 26. Each of these cams isprovided with an inclined cam surface adapted to cooperate with aninclined cam surface 27 upon the slides 14 and 15 whereby downwardmovement of the upper die 20 causes an inward movement of the slides 14and 15 toward die portion 9 of the base. Suitable guides 28 are securedadjacent the inclined cam surfaces 27 and are spaced therefrom butoverlap the same whereby engagement therewith of the cams 24 and 25during upward movement of the upper die 20 causes the slides 14 and 15to move awa from the base.

T e die portion 9 is provided with hardened blocks 30 upon the rearcorners thereof which are sha ed corresponding to the desired shape ofthe bottom portion of the panelto be trimmed and constitute knife edgesadapted to cooperate with a similarly shaped knife 31 integral with orotherwise appropriately secured upon the upper die 20. The upwardlyprojecting portion of the base has one or more rests 33 secured upon itsrear portion as by screws 34 and shaped at 33a to receive a positioningrib formed near the bottom edge of the previously shaped panel to betrimmed, as best shown in Figs. 4 and 5. Y

The front of the die portion of the base is provided with hardenedblocks secured thereto in any suitable manner as by bolts 41 and forminga knife edge suitably shaped for cooperation with a knife 42 mountedupon the slide 15 to trim the top 6 of the panel. One or more dowel pins43 extend forwardly from the upwardly projecting portion of the base andare adapted to be received in suitable guide openings 44 in the slide 15to guide the latter accurately in its movement. Cooperating with thecutting die 42 are a series of plungers 35 provided with heads 36slidably mounted within cavities 37 in the base. These plungers extendfreely through holes 38 in the cutter blocks 40 (Figs. 4 and 10), andare held yieldingly in extended position by springs 39 in the cavities37 engaging the heads of the plungers. As later explained, the plungersor ejectors 35 operate to eject the waste metal after the trimming oeration.

The bottom and side edges of t e inner face of the slides 14 areprovided with hardened blocks 50 serving as a cutting die or knivescooperating with hardened cutting blocks 51 secured upon the die portionof the base, as by bolts 52, to trim the quarter side is urged outwardlyaway from the slides 14 by springs 56 extending between oppositelylocated cavities 57 and 58 in the slide 14 and plate 53 respectively.The presser plate 53 is offset around its edge at 530, (see Fig. 3?providing a pressing face cooperating wit 1 the cutting die 51 to clampthe panel adjacent the line of shearing or trimming, the clamping actionbeing yielding by virtue of the springs 56.

Devices areprovided for ejecting the waste metal at the junction R (Fig.12) adjacent the point where the cut formed by the side cutting dies 50and 51'intersects the cut made by the front cutting dies or knives 42and 40. As shown in Figs. 6 and 11, these devices each comprise aplunger 35a having a head slidable against a compression spring 37awithin a bore or cavity 390. in the base.

The waste metal between the points V and Q is ejected by means of aspring actuated ejector plate 45. This plate 45 is movably mounted uponthe side of the base adjacent the hardened blocks 51 as by means ofbolts 46 and normally is held in extended position by springs 47extending between recesses 48 and 49 in the plate 45 and baserespectively (Figs. 5, 8 and 9). As the cutting die 50 moves inwardly itengages the plate 45, forcing it inwardly to compress the springs.

The die portion 9 of the base is provided with a cavity in its topsurface to the bottom of which a plate 61 is secured, as by bolts 62.splaced hardened blocks 63 are mounted upon t e plate 61, as by bolts64, and serve as knife edges cooperating with knives 65 secured upon theupper die member 20, as by bolts 66, for trimming the rear windowopening 67 in the panel. A presser plate 70 is movably mounted betweenthe blocks 63,

as by bolts 71, and is held in extended position b springs 72 extendingbetween recesses 7 3 an 74 in the plate 70 and blocks 63 respectively.The plate 70' is provided with an opening 75 to provide clearance for apositioning pin 76 projecting upwardly from the plate 61. A presserplate 80 is movably mounted upon the lower surface of the upper diemember 20, as by bolts 81, and is provi ed with a plurality ofprojections 82' adapted to engage'the panel and hold the same snuglyupon the die portion 9 of the base. The plate 80 is pressed yieldinglyagainst the panel by springs 83 extending between cavities 84 and 85 inthe upper die member 20'and plate 80 respectively, a groove 86 beingprovided in the plate 80 to receive the bead molding M upon thepreviously formed panel.

In operation the previously shaped panel 10 is placed upon the dieportion of the base with th'e'pin 76 passing through an opening thereinand with the rib on the bottom portion thereof fitted upon the rearrests 33. The upper die member 20 is then caused to move downwardlytoward the lower die 7 whereupon the presser plate 80 is brought intoyielding engagement with the panel to hold'the latter snugly u on thebase. At the same time cams 24 are rought into engagement with theinclined cam surfaces 27 upon the slide 15 moving the latter inwardly tocause the knives 42- to cooperate with the blocks 40 to trim the top 6of the panel. During this movement the knives cooperate with the blocks63 to trim the window opening 67 in the panel and the knife 31cooperates with the hardened blocks 30 to trim the bottom portion of thepanel. Thereafter, upon further downward movement of the upper die 20the slides 14 are moved by engagement of the cams 25 therewith to causethe knives 50 to cooperate with the blocks 51 to trim the quarterportions 7 of the panel, clearance for the knives 50 being provided bypockets 77 in the ed es of slide 15.

Referring now to ig. 12, wherein the back panel P comprises a backportion 5, a forwardl extending to portion 6, forwardly exten ingquarter si es 7 it will be seen that the trimming or cutting mechanismis constructed and operated to trim or cut the top, bottom and sides ona continuous line with all of the cuts or trimmin r teps carried outsubstantially simultaneously.

The cutting die or knives 42 operate in-a horizontal path forming asingle continuous cut across the top portion 6 substantially on a lineterminating at the points TT. At the same time the side working cuttingdies or y a knife mounted upon said upper die, a pluknives 50, atopposite sides, each produce on a continuous line a horizontal-cut QRintersectin the cut TT', a substantially vertical cut R a horizontal'cutSV along the outer edge of the side, and a substantially vertical cutVQ. 'The cutting die or knives 31 operating simultaneously in a verticalpath produce an angular cut BCD intersecting the cut VQ, and also trimthe bottom of the panel back along the line DD (see Figs. 5 and 8 Thus,these knives cooperate to trim t eedge of the panel along asubstantially continuous line in a single operation, a very slight gapbeing left betweenthe intersections Q, and B by a minute-clearancebetween the adjacent edges of the knives 31 and 50. The upper die 20 isthen caused to move upwardly away from the base in the course of whichthe trimmings are ejected from the cutting zone and the slides 14 and 15are caused to move away from the die portion of the base by engagementof the cam 24 and 25 with the guides 28.

Referring to Figs. 4 and 10, it will-be noted that as the knife 42coacts with the knife 40 to trim along the line TT', the ejectors 35 vmetal.

plungers 45. These plungers 35a and 45 are i operated by the sidecutting dies 50-and act at points adjacentthe points of-intersection ofthe cuts made by the several cutting dies or knives 42, 50 and 31.

I claim:

1. In amachine for trimming a back panel for an automobile body havingback, top

and quarter portions, the combination of a base having a die portionprojecting upwardly therefrom adapted to receive said panel, an upperdie'member movable toward and away from the base, a presser footyieldingly mounted upon said upper die mem her andarranged to enga e andhold the panel-positioned upon the die portion of said base, a pluralityof slides movably mounted upon said base, a knife mounted on each slide,

and a cam mounted on said upper die member adapted to engage and movesaid slides to trim the top and quarter portions of said panel along asubstantially continuous line.

2.- In a machine for trimming a back panel for an automobile body havingback, top and quarter portions, the combination of a base having a dieportion projecting upwardly therefrom adapted to receive said panel, anupper die member movable toward and away from the base, a presser footyieldingly mounted upon said upper die member and arranged to engage andhold the panel positioned upon the die portion of said base,

rality of slides mounted upon said base to move toward and away fromsaid lower die, a knife mounted on each slide, and means for moving saidslides and upper die, said knives cooperating to trim the top. back andquarter portions of, said panel along a sub- .stantially continuousline.

tion, a knife mounted on each of said slides,

and ,means for moving said slides in timed relation, one of saidslidesbeing provided with a pocket adapted to receive the knife on anadjacentslide during the trimming opera tion, said knives cooperating totrim said panel along a substantially continuous line.

4. In a machine for trimming a back panel for an automobile body havinga convex back portion and forwardlyextending. top and side portions, thecombination of a pair of cutting dies operating in paths at right anglesto each other for forming a continuous cut in said top and sideportions, one of said dies also operating to form a cut at right anglesto said out and joining the same.

5. In a machine for trimmlng a back panel for an automobile body havinga convex back portion and forwardly extending top and side portions, thecombination of a pair of cutting dies operating in paths at right,angles to each other for forming a continuous cut in said top and sideportions, one of said dies also operating to form a cut at right anglesto said out and joining the same, and means cooperating with said lastnamed die 'for ejecting the excess metal adjacent the juncture of saidcuts.

6. In a machine. for trimming a back panel for an automobile body havinga convex back portion and forwardly extending top and side portions, thecombination of a pair of cutting dies operating in paths at right anglesto each other for forming a continuous cut in said top and sideportions, one of said dies also operating to form a cut at right anglesto said out and joining the same, and a spring mounted plungercooperating with said last named die for ejecting the waste metal.

7. An apparatus for trimming a back panel for an automobile body havinga convex back portion and forward extending top and side portions, thecom ination of a pair of cutting dies movable at right angles to eachother, means for operating said dies simultaneously, said dies havingmeans for forming intersecting cuts in the same plane in the top andside portions'of the panel, and one of said dies also having means forforming a transverse cut in the side portion forming a continuation ofsaid first cuts.

8. An apparatus for trimming a back panel for an automobile body havinga convex back portion and forwardly extending top and side portions, thecombination of a pair of cutting dies movable horizontally at rightangles to each other, means for operating said dies simultaneously, saiddies having means for forming intersecting cuts in the same plane in thetop and side portions of the panel, one of said dies also having-meansfor forming a tranverse cut in the side portion formin a continuation ofsaid first cuts, and means ocated at the junction of the transverse andintersecting cuts for ejecting the waste metal;

9. In an apparatusfor trimmin the back panel of an automobile bodyhaving a convex back portion and forwardly extending top and sideportions, the combination of a pair of cutting dies movable horizontallyat right angles to each other for forming intersecting outs in the topand side ortions on a continuous line, one of said ies having means forforming a cut in the lower part of the side portion, a cutting diemovable vertically for forming a cut in the lower part of the backportion and intersecting said last named cut,and means for operating allof said dies simultaneously.

10. In an apparatus for trimming the back panel of an automobile bodyhaving a convex back portion and forwardly extending top and sideportions, the combination of a pair of cutting dies movable at rightangles to each other for forming intersecting cuts in the to and sideportions on a continuous line, one 0 said dies having means for forminga cut in the lower art of the side portion, a cutting die movablevertically for forming a cut in the lower part of the back portion andintersecting said last named cut, devices cooperating with one of'saiddies and acting at the junctions of certain of the cuts to eject thewaste metal, and means for operating all of said dies simultaneously. 1

11. In an apparatus for trimming the back panel of an automobile bodyhaving a convex back portion and forwardly extending top and sideportions, the combination of a pair of cutting dies movable horizontallyat right angles to each other for forming intersecting cuts in the topand side portions on a continuous line, one of said dies having meansfor forming a cut in the lower part of the side portion, a cutting diemovable vertically for forming a cut in the lower part of the backportion and intersecting said last named cut, spring controlled plungerdevices acting adjacent the intersections of the cuts for ejecting thewaste metal, and means for operating all of said dies simultaneously.

12. In an apparatus for trimming the back panel of an automobile bodyhaving a convex back portion and forwardly extending top and sideportions, the combination of means for supporting the panel with theback portion substantially horizontal, a pair of cutting dies movablehorizontally at right

